I would guess that the engineers put it there for a reason. I would order and install a new one.

 

I agree. If you look at, you tend to ask yourself. What benifit is this thing? Its not a rugged piece so it can't be holding the car together. So why is it hear. must be something important. I was hoping someone will know.

 

I took it out over a year ago when getting my exhaust done. I havent had any problems since.

 

I will remove it and see how it goes.. I didn't bottom out that hard. So its not a strong piece of metal.

 

This has been put there for a reason - they don't just bolt stuff to a car in a certain position, just for the heck of it. I suspect that it is a chassis stiffener of some discription (not unlike strut braces). Although leaving it off might not appear to be doing any harm, that might not be the case - especially in a collision - mebbe a side impact..?

Either way, when you consider manufacturing costs of the component and the weight it adds - careful consideration would have been made to have it incorporated into the design.

Get a new one IMHO and replace.

 

the only reason it is there is to stop the muffler from falling on the road if it ever rusts out

 

Really - it's quite a substantial piece of metal just for that. In any case - that is still a safety item if this is the case. Have you actually seen that written down anywhere?

 

I was told the same thing by my dealer service dept. It is definately not strong enough for any kind of support. I believe this is also related to the only hangers are made of rubber which can fail eventually and there aren't even any exhaust suppports till you get behind the muffler.

 

OK - well if that's what you have been told...

 

I took mine off after I installed my e-cutouts and haven't had any issues.

 

If the cross bar was not there, you would have damage to your exhaust.

G

 

That bar is called a "Tunnel Reinforcement" So I would not recommend removing it. It was put there for a reason.

 

I see that this is another 'no-one really knows' issue. For a start, I have never seen an exhaust retaining device stuck under a car! Secondly, have you seen the thickness of the metal used for it - if all it had to do was retain an exhaust which will drop 2 inches or so, it would NOT need to be that thick - so why make it that thick?

If it is not structural, then my only other guess would be that it was there to contain the prop-shaft should it fail. Considering the prop-shaft is quite a heavy item, added to the fact it would be thrashing around on failure, then the thickness of the metal bar makes sense.

The 'failed exhaust protection' makes no sense to me.

BTW - I would not completely trust much technical information regarding the design of a car given by a dealer technician.....

 

BTW - I would not completely trust much technical information regarding the design of a car given by a dealer technician.....

I second that one. Just because a guy knows how to work on a car doesn't mean he knows anything about the design and engineering side. It's that way in any industry, the technicians rarely understand the thinking of the engineers, and typically vice versa. Just the way it is.

 

I just called the parts department for a price and it costs $28. The part number is 4780 889AB

 

LOL... That metal is VERY strong. Your car weighs almost 2 tons, multiply that by the speed you were traveling at and that gives you an approximate amount of force that the support was subjected to... The fact that it is still intact says that it is a strong piece of metal.

 

LOL... That metal is VERY strong. Your car weighs almost 2 tons, multiply that by the speed you were traveling at and that gives you an approximate amount of force that the support was subjected to... The fact that it is still intact says that it is a strong piece of metal.

I 100% totally agree!!!!

 

Maybe it is multipurpose. The muffler catcher, drive shaft catcher, and frame stiffener.

Those drive shafts can be lethal. In my semi, I lost the drive shaft between the two differentials. That puppy whipped around and knocked out two of the four brake chambers and all the air hoses. Luckily I got the truck to the shoulder before I lost all air pressure which would result in the remaining 8 brakes locking up.